This invention relates to an improvement in multipurpose fixing components for use in assembly and wiring of an electric or electronic apparatus, particularly in bundling and holding wires, fixing printed circuit boards to a chassis thereof in a spaced relationship, and in fixing and spacing printed circuit boards relative to each other.
A conventional fixing component presented heretofore for this purpose is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
In these figures, a reference numeral 1 denotes a holder portion having a shape suitable for bundling and holding wires on a circuit board, while a numeral 2 denotes a web-like resilient seat portion which is connected to the holder portion integrally therewith and curved toward an apertured circuit board 3 to form an arch, with opposite free ends thereof held in contact with the surface of the circuit board. A numeral 4 denotes a column portion having a length such as to project from the center of the resilient seat portion through a circular hole 3a in the circuit board. A numeral 5 denotes a pair of resilient wing portions having free ends and diverging from a free end of the column portion to the outer circumference of the circular hole of the circuit board, and numeral 6 denotes extensions extending from respective free ends of the wing portions such as to contact the inner peripheral surface of the circular hole of the circuit board. As shown in FIG. 2, when the column portion 4 and the pair of resilient wing portions 5 are protruded through the circular hole 3a of the circuit board to the reverse side thereof, the arch-shaped resilient seat portion is opened or spread out with its free ends contacted to the surface of the circuit board, causing a spring force, which presses the free ends of the pair of wing portions against the surface of the circuit board around the hole, and makes the extensions 6 contact to the inner peripheral surface of the circular hole 3a. Thus, the fixing component is perpendicularly held to the circuit board in the hole thereof.
The fixing components constituted in the above manner is also arranged such that the component can be perpendicularly held in the circuit board by only one setting action and is prevented from shifting out of its proper position, but, in the circular hole 3a, between the column 4 and the extension 6 positioned on opposite sides thereof, necessary gaps are left, which give such an instability to the column 4 as to shift sidewards in the gaps, which results in some unreliableness of this fixing component.